A £68m signalling upgrade will see no trains run between Great Yarmouth and Reedham for at least six months.

The work, which will modernise the Wherry Lines from Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, will see a new track layout at Reedham Junction, where the lines to and from Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth join the line to Norwich.

Passengers who travel between Reedham and Great Yarmouth, however, will have to find alternative transport between October 20 and April 2019 with the line via Berney Arms due to close.

This will affect nearly 30 journeys between Norwich and Great Yarmouth a week and travellers who wish to visit Berney Arms, those who commute between Cantley, Reedham, and Great Yarmouth, and those travelling between Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth.

According to a Network Rail spokesman, the closure is in preparation for the final transition from a “Victorian” era signalling system to a modern signalling system.

The work will include installation of signals including piling and foundation construction, level crossing works including civil engineering works for CCTV operation and under track cable routes, and installation of cables and lineside equipment cases.

For the main nine days of work in October there will be significant disruption, with the lines from Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft shut with a rail replacement bus service in place between Saturday, October 20, and Sunday, October 28.

Meliha Duymaz, Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia, said: “The next phase of this project is vital to continue to transform the railway as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan.

“While I understand that closing the railway is an inconvenience I would like to reassure passengers that this work will deliver tangible benefits to rail journeys across the Wherry lines, increasing safety and reliability using modern signalling technology.”

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “We really appreciate the patience of our customers using this line during these works.

“Together with Network Rail we’re completely modernising the railway in this area which will have brand new state-of-the-art signaling and trains, resulting in a more reliable service.

“While the work is going on, we will make sure that customers can still complete their journeys, even if it is by bus.”